Zishu

New in 1.2: a calligraphy ink brush, spaced repetition Daily Review, automatic grading, and connected-stroke writing like 了 in one motion. Free, offline, no ads.

Learn to write Chinese characters, stroke by stroke.

Zishu is a personal Chinese handwriting tutor that works completely offline. Draw every character stroke by stroke on screen and get instant validation against authentic stroke order data, with a brush that feels like real ink.

CALLIGRAPHY INK BRUSH A simulated brush whose width and angle follow the speed and direction of your hand, with a tapered entry and a pressed finish. Classic and invisible stroke styles are also available.

STROKE DETECTION THAT UNDERSTANDS HANDWRITING Automatically detects whether each stroke is right as you write. Connected strokes can be written in one motion, like 了 in a single flow or the cover of 学. If you prefer, you can turn off automatic grading and judge your own writing for a true handwriting experience.

DAILY REVIEW WITH SPACED REPETITION Every character you practice is scheduled on expanding intervals (1, 3, 7, 14, 30, 60 days). Miss one and it comes back sooner. A Daily Review card shows exactly what is due today, and practice automatically features the characters you struggle with.

AUTOMATIC GRADING Each character is graded from your strokes. Confirm or override with a tap, or turn on auto-advance and just keep writing.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO STUDY

• HSK 1 to 6, radicals, and frequency sets
• Custom sets from any text, organized in folders, plus review sets built from your mistakes
• Radical meanings shown when you complete a character
• Built-in dictionary with pinyin and definitions, and your own notes
• Native Mandarin pronunciation
• Streaks, goals with a daily pace, and detailed progress

SIMPLIFIED OR TRADITIONAL Pick the characters you're learning when you first open the app, and switch anytime in Settings. Every set converts, and your progress is kept.

MADE FOR IPHONE AND IPAD A comfortable, adjustable writing area on iPad. Interface in English and Chinese.

100% OFFLINE AND PRIVATE No account, no ads, no tracking. All your data stays on your device, with built-in backup export and import.

Zishu is free and made by one student developer. If it helps you, there is a tip jar in the menu. Nothing is locked behind it.